Alfred Nobel was the famous Swedish businessman who created the Nobel Peace Prize. What many people do not know is Nobel was involved in the invention of dynamite and made his fortunes from this work. A strange incident, however, led to his recognition as the benefactor of one of the world’s most recognized awards.
Alfred’s brother died, but when the obituary came out in the local Stockholm paper, they had confused Alfred’s name with that of his brother. Alfred Nobel got the rare opportunity to read what the world would read regarding his own accomplishments. It spoke only of the destructive force of his invention and its use in war. He was filled with sorrow and remorse that he would be remembered for destruction. He asked those closest to him, “What is the opposite of war and destruction?” The reply was “Peace.” At that moment he began his quest. He wanted to be remembered for peace, not war and he accomplished his goal, even a century later.
Have you ever thought about your footprint in life? What is it that would be said about you and would you be happy with your legacy? Try writing your own obituary. When you finish, decide if that is how you want to be known. If it is, congratulations you are living the life you have designed. If not, maybe it is time to think about who you are and what you want to become. This simple exercise leads to a more important one, your personal mission statement. When my son left for college, we wrote out his goals and when we finished I asked him a question that nineteen year olds never get asked. “How do you want to be remembered after your college football career?” It took us a while together, but he finally came up with an answer, he wanted to be the player that everyone looked to for the example of supreme effort, leadership, and performance. That became his personal mission statement. Do you have a personal mission statement?
This is an incredible exercise to go through with your entire staff and yourself if you are an owner or leader. How we define ourselves is a reflection of the distance between where we are personally and where we want to be. Writing a personal mission statement is foreign to most people. We are use to the corporate ones created by some mysterious force and then given to us. So, how do you write a personal mission statement and why? Let’s answer the why first. A personal mission statement helps you define daily not only who you are and what you stand for, but how you will affect the lives of others. Now, the how! Here are your steps in writing your personal mission statement:
- The personal mission statement should be one that you can experience every day. It is how you choose to live.
- The personal mission statement should say how you would affect others. As a sales person I might say “I will create positive feeling in my clients through my honesty and concern.”
- Your personal mission statement should be a challenge to live up to a mark of excellence daily such as giving the best service possible or being a loving father or mother. It is more than who you are, it is what you do.
- Finally, how does all this make the world a better place? Answer that and you have a very fulfilling life.
Do not wait. Make your first attempt at a personal mission statement today. Share it with others and begin living by the words you create. Have a wonderful life!